Alfie Jones with his mum Kerrie and dad Andrew at Leigh Sports Village when he was his beloved Centurions’ mascot for their Super League clash with Catalan Dragons

A SIX-year-old disabled boy who cannot walk or talk has got the Easter gift he desperately wanted after residents rallied to raise money for a specially-adapted wheelchair to improve his quality of life.

Alfie Jones, of Treen Road, Astley, has cerebral palsy after suffering a bleed on his brain when born 10 weeks premature.

His mum Kerrie and dad Andrew, both 33, launched a fundraising campaign for a much-needed manual wheelchair in February.

With more than £5,000 having been raised they have been able to order a custom-made wheelchair that will make Alfie more comfortable, help his posture with him suffering from curvature of the spine, increase his spectrum of movement and give him the gift of independence by enabling him to push himself around on his own.

It will even open the door to the Tyldesley Primary School pupil taking part in a variety of sports, with him being particularly interested in wheelchair basketball.

Kerrie said: “It is such a relief that we have got to the stage where we have ordered the wheelchair and it is in the process of being made.

“The amount of support and donations we have had has been amazing.

“We cannot thank everyone enough.

“He struggles to self-propel himself with his current basic wheelchair but the new chair will allow him to have the correct posture and the right support to do that.

“When we are out he also gets really uncomfortable trying to keep himself upright on his seat and needs help getting up again.

“When the new chair arrives he won’t have that problem either.”

The chair was ordered on Wednesday and will take around six weeks to be made.

It costs more than £8,000 and Kerrie and Andrew are taking part in the 10k Simplyhealth Great Manchester Run next month to raise additional funds.

Colleagues of administrator Kerry at specialist cancer hospital The Christie are running the half marathon version.

Alfie’s school raised more than £400 for him with a Mega Easter Egg raffle on March 31, the Rotary Club of Astley has donated £500 and people all over the country have made contributions via a GoFundMe page set up for the rugby and superhero fan.

He is having Hulk and Hulkbuster images put on the spoke guard protectors of his new wheelchair and was a mascot for his beloved Leigh Centurions in their home Super League match with Catalan Dragons on April 7.

Kerrie says Alfie, who uses an app on his iPad to communicate with teachers, family and friends, thoroughly enjoyed the experience, having been ‘spoiled’ by his heroes.

To make a donation to help pay for the wheelchair visit gofundme.com/alfies-new-wheelchair.

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